JAMAICAN all-rounder David Bernard Jr is satisfied with his contribution towards the reigning champions’ good showing in the first half of this season’s West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional four-day tournament.

Bernard Jr struck respective half-centuries against Barbados and the Leeward Islands, and had a match haul of eight wickets for 79 against the latter to help force an outright victory in that match.

He went particularly close to getting his fifth first-class hundred against the Bajans, but was dismissed by a sharp Fidel Edwards delivery on the second morning without adding to his overnight 84.

He also made 37 and shared in a crucial stand of 71 for the seventh wicket with Chadwick Walton (45) and took three wickets against the Windward Islands, as Jamaica secured first-innings honours in the rain-affected encounter.

After arriving at the Norman Manley International Airport last Wednesday, Bernard told the Sunday Observer the team played well in their three-match tour of the Eastern Caribbean.

“We had good team results and I think we played well and we expressed ourselves well in those three matches. There were some flat tracks and for me to be among the wickets in those games was a good achievement.

“I’m an all-rounder, so I’m expected to do both jobs… it’s a matter of going out there and executing,” he said.

In three Test matches for the senior West Indies team, the 29 year old has scored three fifties and averages a creditable 40.40 with the bat.

He was philosophical when asked whether he was concerned with batting as low as number seven in Jamaica’s strong line-up and reasoned that he is willing to fit in wherever he is needed.

“In cricket everybody won’t be able to bat at the top of the order so I just have to play my role when I get the chance. The composition of the team means I bat in the lower middle-order and I was a bit unfortunate in Barbados where I got (out to) a good ball; it was a virtually unplayable delivery that reared off a length,” he said.

The Jamaicans, who have won three successive four-day titles, took six points each in the drawn matches with the Windwards and Barbados and 12 in the win over the Leewards.

After also thrashing Guyana for an outright victory in the opening round of matches in early February, Jamaica — with 36 points — lead Trinidad & Tobago by three, and the elegant right-hander is anxious to nail home the advantage.

“In the home leg of this tournament we are just looking to do the same or even improve on what we have been doing,” he said.

Jamaica are scheduled to face the Combined Campuses and Colleges, starting March 11 at Chedwin Park in St Catherine, before also hosting T&T and the England Lions in the last set of matches before the semi-final round begins.